Sheet-metal-working tool



H. R. KENNEDY. SHEET METAL WORKING TO0L| APPLICATION man NOV- l4. I918.

Patented Sept. 30-, '1919.

inventor lfomerfzflw'xe sions,

HOMER IR. KENNEDY, 0]? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO GUSSIE M.

' KENNEDY, OF LOSANGELES,

CALIFORNIA.

sianE'r-ME'rAL-woaKINe TOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

Application filed. November 14, 1918. Serial No. 262,490.

VVorking Tools, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sheet metal working tools, and particularly to tools for smoothing or otherwise determining the I surface formation or curvature of sheet metal and sheet metal objects, the invention being particularly adapted for use in smoothing out indentations and irregularities in such sheet metal objects as automobile fenders, which frequently, due to their exposure to blows and impacts and collibecome indented and misshapen. It will be obvious that the invention similarly and with equal value and pertinence relates to a tool for dressing or [re-shaping or smoothing or determining the formation of other sheet metal objects, such as dented or mis-shapen utensils, receptacles, and the like. Other automobile devices likewise are advantageously treated with and re-shapened by this tool, such as automobile engine hoods or bonnets, tank ends, vehicle bodies, cowls, and the like. I

- The invention has for its object to provide a tool or device of the general nature above stated which will be superior in point of relative simplicity and inexpensiveness of construction and organization,

convenience and effectiveness in use, positiveness in action, compactness in form, speed and facility in operation, and which will be generally superior in efliciency and serviceability. As far as I am informed no device of the general nature and character of that of the present invention has heretofore been produced or provided, and the features of advantage above mentioned are not to be understood as implying that a device of this kind has in' fact previously been produced. I

With the abovejand other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, combination, association, interrelation and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, all as hereinafter described, shown in the drawing, and finally pointed out in claims.

In the drawing:

7 shown in Figs.

' ing,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a sheet metal working tool constructed and organized to embody the invention, work to which the same is being applied being indicated in fragment in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a front end View of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, broken away for convenience in illustration, of a modified form of sheet metal working tool, embodying the invention;

'Fig. f is a view of the metal-contacting and working members shown in Fig. 3, the

same being in detached positions;

Fig. 5 i a fragmentary detached and sec' tional view of p ant of the construction shown in Fig. 3, illustrating the possibilities of adjustment of the metal working members 3 and 4; and Fig. 6 is aside elevation of a still further modified form of construction.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are designated by the same reference characters.

Referring with particularity to the drawthe invention comprises, in each form, at least two members, A and B, between which memberA and which member or members B the work is embraced, whereby said members, resultant upon their proper manipulation, may re-form, smooth or roll out or suitably curve or surface the work, such as a sheet of metal or a sheet metal device or object. In each instance the member A is shown as a roller or part capable of rotation, and in all instances save that in Fig. 1, the member B is likewise shown as a cooperatbeing stirrup shaped and provided with the spaced parallel projecting members B, from,

the base of one of which ranges a handle member \0, whereby pressure may be exerted in conjunction with a handle member d upon the member a, such members being hinged together, at 7, at the ends opposite the handle members, so that a construction analogous to that of a nut cracker device is provided, permitting the handle members to be grasped and forced toward each other to clamp and embrace the work e firmly between the me bers A and B. The member a is provided With a'segmental rack 8 with which cooperates a pinion 9 fixed upon a floating shaft 10 journaled in a lock 11 which is pivotally carried in the member 6 by a bolt 12 turnable in said member I) and held in position by a nut 13, or by any similar and substituteconstruction. Applied to one end of the shaft, adjacent the journal block '11, is a crank 14 for turning the shaft 10; said sl1aft be-ing provided at the other end with the roller constituting the member A.

"mem

In using this form of metal-working device, the work e is firmly embraced and enga ed between the member A and the Eers B, the handles 0 and d belng squeezed toward each other to apply the proper pressure, in accordance w1th the nature of the work. The other hand is employed to operatethe crank 14:, whereby the roller member A is caused to pass over or traverses the work, and to press and smooth out any deformations or indentations present in the work, or to impart to the work, lnitially or In repalr, such curvature or surface formation as may be desired, and as' may be determined by the s'hapeand' contour of the roller member A.

Referring now to the form of construction shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the,rolle1' its base and entering a similarly formed opening 21 in the member f or 9, thus permittingjthe roller to be set with its axis at various angularities with respect to the plane of the member f or g. Or, it is obvious that such vstuds 20 may be cylindrical so that they may turn in cylindrical openings in the said members, and that the rollers may thusadapt themselves as to their presentation to the work in connection with which they are brought, and against which they are moved.- From'the extreme outer ends of the member It depends a pivoted latch arm 22, pivoted thereto at 23, and the outer end of the other'member h is provided with a stud or pin 24 adapted to enter one of a numberor series of recesses 25 in said arm 22 and thus to temporarily lock together the tongs arms and hold the rollers 16 and 17 firmly and positively in engagement with the work. A compression coil spring 26 may be disposed against one of the limbs it being coiled around a threaded pin 28 passed loosely through the two limbs, a nut 28 latch member 22 would ordinarily not be employed or, if the latch member 22 were employed the spring would not be relied 'upon for its action.

In the use of this device the limbs h and 7c are grasped in one hand of the user and the rollers 16 and 17 are brought to bear firmly upon and to embrace the work, whereupon the device is manipulated so that the rollers pass over the work and effectively smooth out and reduce or produce curvature in the sheet metal structure.

In the form of construction shown in Fig. 6, I provide'rollers 29 and 30 for the members A and B, the same being respectively mounted upon shafts 33 and 3 accommodated by housings 31 and 32 in one of which the shaft 33 is fixed, but its roller 29 is loose to turn upon said shaft. The roller 30 is fast upon the shaft 34:, but that shaft is rotatably mounted in the housing 32 and pro-- vided with a crank 35 whereby it and the roller 30 may be turned. The housings at the ends remote from the rollers are joined together by a yoke or strap 36 within' which the upper housing 31 is pivotally mounted as at 37, so that the housings may swing relatively each to the other, and the other ends of the housings are surrounded by-a strap 38 within which is threaded anadusting pin 39 which is loosely engaged with a plate 40 upon such upper housing, and by manipulating such pin the housings may be pivotally and relatively manipulated at the pivotal connection 37.

In the use of this form of device the rollers 29 and 30 are brought to bear upon the work, embracing it, and one or both of the housings is grasped in one hand of the user, while the other hand is. employed to operate the crank 35 and cause'the rollers to pass over and smooth out and reduce the unevenness in or produce curvature in the sheet metal work. The threaded pin 39 may be utilized to bring the rollers 29 and 30 firmly against the work and to cause them to embrace it for proper application of the reducing action of the rollers.

It will be noted that the formation of some of the rollers in the various forms of device herein disclosed is different from that of others, the rollers 16 and 17, for instance, being one convex and one concave. The

exact shape of such rollers is of course de-.

termined by the nature of the work to be performed and such exact shape is not an essential feature of the invention.

The present method employed in taking out dents and uneven formations in sheet metal, and in restoring or producing curvature, is known as hand peening, and this of course cracks and destroys the enamel and likewise hardens and mars the metal and tends to weaken it and reduce it to a state of 'uneven strength. All of these objections are obviated in the use of the tools of the present invention.

It is manifest that many variations and changes and modifications may be made in departure from the exact form and construction of the parts, shown in the drawing and herein described, without, however, departing from the real invention or the true spirit thereof.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A device of the character disclosed, comprising two connected members adapted to embrace between them sheet metal work, means for causing said members forcibly to embrace the work, one of said members being provided with a roller adapted to directly engage the work and to transform the surface thereof, and means carried by one of the members for rotating said roller; said members being pivotally connected; said last named means comprising a shaft carried by one of said members, and a crank for the shaft; one member being provided with a curved rack, and said shaft being provided with a pinion cooperating therewith and likewise belng mounted in connection with its member so as to be free to swing. w

2. A device of the character disclosed, comprising two connected members adapted &

to embrace between them sheet metal work, means for causing said members forcibly to embrace the work, one of said members being provided with a roller adapted to directly engage the work and to transform the surface thereof, and means carried by one of the members for rotating said roller; said members being pivotally connected; said; last named means comprising a shaft carried by one of said members, and a crank for the shaft; one member being provided with a curved rack, and said shaft being provided with a pinion cooperating therewith and likewise being mounted in connection with its member so as to be free to swing; said members being provided with projecting handles constituting said means for causing said members forcibly to embrace the work.

'3. A device of the character disclosed,

- comprising two connected members adapted to embrace between them sheet metal work, means for causing said members forcibly, to embrace the work, one of said members being provided with a roller adapted to directly engage the work and to transform the surface thereof, and means carried by one of the members for rotating said roller; said members being pivotally connected; said last named means comprising a shaft carried by'one of said members, and a crank for the shaft; one member being provided with a rack, and said shaft being provided with a pinion cooperating therewith.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HOMER R. KENNEDY.

I Witnesses Errm A. WAsHBURN, CHARLES H. Comma. 

